Projectile.



J KUPN PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION mm SEPLZI; 19! 1.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.,

a h Kuhn.

' 1 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JACOB KUHN, 0F GONNELL SVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO HENRY C. NORTON AND ONE-THIRD TO ROBERT NORRIS, BOTH OF CONNELLS- VILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

tain new and useful Improvements in Proect1les, of whlch the followlng 1S a specification.

The present invention relates to projectiles or shells, or more particularly to that type adapted to be exploded at a predetermined time.

An object of the present invention is to provide a shell or projectile of this character which is of such construction that when exploded the same will radiate in substantially all directions and scatter shot or shrapnel uniformly about the exploding shell; which will effect the forward projection of the cap or pit of the shell with added impulse in the general direction of travel of '1 the shell; and which will effect the uniform breaking up or division of thebody of the shell by the internal pressure in exploding the same.

It a further aim of the present invention to provide a shell or projectile of this character and embodying the above outlined novel features. with means for effecting these results without adding to the weight or size of the shells, and without requiring any substantial change in the general construction and outlines of the shell.

The above, and various other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part described, and in part understood, from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shell or projectile constructed according to the present invention, portions of the shell being broken away to disclose the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the longitudinal groove in the exterior surface of the shell body at the deeper portions of the groove, and showing the groove of rounded formation.

Fig. 3 is a similar view disclosing a modification wherein the groove may be of V- shape.

Specification of Letters Patent.

present PROJECTILE.

Patented A11 20, 1918.

Application filed September 21, 1917. Serial No. 192,605.

Fig. 4 is a further modified form of the body of the shell showing the groove of W shape.

Fig. 5 1s a still further modified form of the shell body, showing the exterior groove thereof asof substantially rectangular formation.

Referring to this drawing, 10 designates the body of the shell or projectile which is of substantially the usual form having an internally threaded slightly reduced outer or forward end closed by a cap or point 11 connected by an exteriorly threaded shank 12 to the body 10 and provided with the usual timer 13.

Within the shell body is placed a quantity of explosive material 14:, and embedded in this material is a quantity of shot or shrapnel 15.

In order to effect the uniform breaking or division of the shell body 10 when the explosive body 14: is ignited, the shell body 10 is provided exteriorly with a plurality of preferably uniformly spaced'apart longitudinal grooves 16. These grooves 16 extend preferably from a point spaced slightly from the packing ring 17 at the inner or base are curved outwardly at their opposite ends to gradually merge into the outer cylindrical surface of the body 10. The grooves 16 preferably taper in depth from their outer to their inner ends, which latter are rela tively shallow as compared with the outer ends of the grooves. This peculiar formation of the grooves 16 provides a shell body which is relatively weak at the outer end thereof immediately behind the point or cap 11, and which is relatively strong at its inner end. As the grooves 16 are equi-distantly spaced apart in a circular row about the shell body, the grooves divide the shell body 10 into a plurality of segments of substantially equal circumferential length, and upon the bursting of the shell, these uniformly sized segments radiate in all directions from the shell and thus admit of the scattering or distribution of the shot 15 in substantially all directions and substantially form force. 7

These grooves 16 may be substantially of any "desired 'cross sectional configuration,

and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are provided with opposed parallel walls and an inner rounded wall. As shown in Fig. 3, the opposed walls of the groove 16 may converge inwardly forming a groove substantially V- shaped in cross-section. As shown in Fig.

4, each groove 16 may be formed of a pair of adj acent V-shaped grooves forming a complete groove of W-shape in cross-secgroove 16 of substantially rectangular construction in cross-section. 1

While these grooves 16 are disclosed 1n the present instance as being formed exteriorly V of the body 10, it is of courseunderstood that they may be otherwise suitably located of the desired size and to effect the break ing of, the shell and radiating of the contents thereof in the desired direction.

When the shell is exploded, the body thereof offers less resistance to the explosion at its outer end adjacent to the cap 11 with the result that the impact of the explosion is directed forwardly against the point or cap 11 and the latter is projected with added impetus in the general direction of travel of the shell. The shell body itself, however, being divided into a number of separate sections by the grooves, burst in all directions and the shot or shrapnel 15 is thus projected with considerable impetus in all directions about the shell. This action on part of the shell when exploded is efi'ected by deepening the grooves gradually from the inner 'or base end of the shell to the outer forward end thereof, so that the weakest portion of the shell is immediately ad- Gopies of. this patent may be obtained for five cents,.each, by addressing the v r Washington, D. 0."

1 than at its base.

ja cent outer or tip end. Theside walls j r What isclaimedisz tion. Another possible form of groove is shown in Fig. 5 wherein the opposed wall 1. In a projectile, a cylindrical body p rovided' with longitudinal grooves extend ng from near the base to near the point of the 7 body to uniformly weaken the body at all sides, the grooves having outwardly curved end walls gradually merging into the exterior surface of the body and the longitudinal sections of the body between the grooves I having. uninterrupted smooth exterior surfaces to reduce the resistance of the pro- 1 j ectile in flight. in order to divide the body 10 into segments ing longitudinal grooves therein extending from a point near the base ofth body to 2. In a projectile, a cylindrical body havnear the point thereof, said grooves grad- ;ually increasing in depth from-the base to .7 the point of the shell. e

3. In a projectile, a body of cylindrical in depth from the base to the point of the body to provide a body less capable of re sistance near its point to internal pressure 4:. In a projectile, the combination of a body, a point mounted on the forward end ofrthe body, said body having longitudinal groovesin the walls thereof of greater depth 7 near the point of the body to reduce the re,

sistance thereof to internal pressure immediately in rear of the point.

- J AOOB KUHN.

Commissioner of Patents, 

